Burgess Said To Be Sticking With Union

Stuart Lancaster has urged England to end their World Cup disappointment in positive fashion by unleashing their frustrations on Uruguay.

Following consecutive defeats to Wales and Australia, progression through to the quarter-finals is no longer possible and the English have also suffered the ignominy of becoming the first tournament host in history not to escape the pool phase.

It would have caused a major row if it turned out that the RFU had sounded out a prospective replacement with Lancaster still in charge and preparing England for their dead Pool A match against Uruguay at Manchester City’s Etihad ground today.

Smith is at this World Cup.

Data from Viagogo. Face value in brackets. “You don’t have lineouts or anything to worry about when you’re playing in the centre. We have a community coaching event tomorrow afternoon and I’ve got to get my whistle out and shout at a load of under-15s and motivate them”, Lancaster said, referring to a school clinic Friday. “I have no problem with the reviews; I’ve conducted them myself in age-grade teams – 18s, 20s, Saxons – and after every tournament or Six Nations I’ve had there has been a review”. Saying that, I would have preferred George Ford to have started at fly-half because he is more of an attacking player. “We’re all really disappointed for them because we wanted them to do well”, said Mercer. Instead he has focused on his job at hand and spoken openly about anything put to him, when asked what he would tell the Stuart Lancaster of 2012 he said with a hint of a smile “Good luck, get a tin hat and a flak jacket”.

‘I guess that’s just the nature of the situation we’re in and for me, it’s about getting on with the day job.

“For a lot of us this is going to be the biggest match of our careers”, Scotland number eight David Denton said as the team welcome back fit-again flyhalf Finn Russell. “It’s going to be exciting for the crowd and encourage people to take up and play rugby union”. On the performance side, Burgess’ inclusion has had an impact because Burrell should have been there, but on the morale side I’m not so sure if it would have made a difference. What if at 77 minutes we’re chasing the game by three points?

Gatland, whose Welsh team sealed England’s fate with a 28-25 win over England at Twickenham 12 days ago, has contacted Lancaster to offer his support and said he had been subjected to media “assassination”. “I don’t think you’ll see Stuart Lancaster walking away from anything”.